فَأرٌ رَأى القِطَّ عَلى الجِدارِ

مُعَذَّباً في أَضيَقِ الحِصارِ

A mouse saw a cat on the wall

Trapped in the tightest blockade

وَالكَلبُ في حالَتِهِ المَعهودَه

مُستَجمِعاً لِلوَثبَةِ المَوعودَه

And the dog in his usual state

Preparing for the promised leap

فَحاوَلَ الفَأرُ اِغتِنامَ الفُرصَه

وَقالَ أَكفي القِطَّ هَذي الغُصَّه

So the mouse tried to seize the chance

And said, I will end the cat's torment

لَعَلَّهُ يَكتُبُ بِالأَمانِ

لي وَلِأَصحابي مِنَ الجيرانِ

Perhaps he would guarantee safety

For me and my fellow rodents

فَسارَ لِلكَلبِ عَلى يَدَيهِ

وَمَكَّنَ التُرابَ مِن عَينَيهِ

He went to the dog with his hands up

And threw dirt in his eyes

فَاِشتَغَلَ الراعي عَنِ الجِدارِ

وَنَزَلَ القِطُّ عَلى بِدارِ

Thus the shepherd got distracted from the wall

And the cat descended to the ground

مُبتَهِجاً يُفَكِّرُ في وَليمَه

وَفي فَريسَةٍ لَها كَريمَه

Elated, thinking of a feast

And a generous prey for his conquest

يَجعَلُها لِخَطبِهِ عَلامَه

يَذكُرُها فَيَذكُرُ السَلامَه

To make it a sign of his sermon

And remember the safety he had earned

فَجاءَ ذاكَ الفَأرُ في الأَثناءِ

وَقالَ عاشَ القِطُّ في هَناءِ

The mouse came meanwhile and said

Long live the cat in comfort and glee

رَأَيتَ في الشِدَّةِ مِن إِخلاصي

ما كانَ مِنها سَبَبَ الخَلاصِ

You saw my loyalty in hardship

Which caused this deliverance to be

وَقَد أَتَيتُ أَطلُبُ الأَمانا

فَاِمنُن بِهِ لِمَعشَري إِحسانا

I have come to ask for safety

So oblige my folks generously

فَقالَ حَقّاً هَذِهِ كَرامَه

غَنيمَةٌ وَقَبلَها سَلامَه

He said, Indeed this is nobility

A gain preceded by security

يَكفيكَ فَخراً يا كَريمَ الشيمَه

أَنَّكَ فَأرُ الخَطبِ وَالوَليمَه

It suffices you pride, O noble in manner

That you're the mouse of speech and feast

وَاِنقَضَّ في الحالِ عَلى الضَعيفِ

يَأكُلُهُ بِالمِلحِ وَالرَغيفِ

Then he instantly pounced on the weak one

And ate him with salt and loaf

فَقُلتُ في المَقامِ قَولاً شاعا

مَن حَفِظَ الأَعداءَ يَوماً ضاعا

So I said at that point words well known

He who spares enemies one day is gone